Page:Mexico, Aztec, Spanish and Republican, Vol 2.djvu/157

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CLERGY, MONKS, NUNS, MONASTERIES, CONVENTS.
131

to Rome. The ecclesiastical Junto which met in Mexico, had striven to reinvest the Metropolitan with the ancient right of instituting suffragan bishops; but the canonical right has continued in the Pope, on the presentation of the government. Nevertheless, efforts have been made to extend, substantially the metropolitan powers of the Archbishop of Mexico, of whom it was probably desired to make the true head of the national church, dependent however upon the Roman Pontiff.

There were in Mexico, according to the best accessible official dates, in 1826

1 Archbishop.
9 Bishops, in 9 Bishoprics.
1 Collegiate Chief at the Collegiate Church of Guadalupe.
185 Prebends, (79 vacancies thereof, in 1826.)
1194 Parishes, of one, two, or more churches.
9 Seminaries (conciliares.)
3677 Clergymen (1240 engaged in curacies) and the rest in seminaries, ecclesiastical cures, vicarages, &c.)
———
5 Religious orders, owning
155 Monasteries; in which there were
1918 Monks; of whom
40 Served curacies and
106 Missions.
In 47 of these monasteries there were more than twelve monks, and in thirty-nine there were less than five.
———
6 Colleges de Propaganda Fidé, containing
307 Clergymen; of whom
61 Served in missions.
2 Congregaciones, with 60 presbyters.
.
58 Convents; with
1931 Nuns,
622 Girls,
1475 Servants.
Summary of Ecclesiastical Persons.
7999 Clergymen, friars and nuns.
2097 Servants and girls in convents.

Since the epoch of independence the orders of Juaninos, Belemites, and San Lazaro, have been extinguished.